Vacuum-protected high-explosive shell



(No Model.)

R. J. McKEONE. VACUUM PROTECTED HIGH BXPLOSIVBYSHBLL. No. 602,092.

Patented Apr. 12, 1898.

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RICHARD J. MCKEONE, OF SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN.

VACUUM-PROTECTED HIGH-.EXPL'OSIVE SHELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,092, dated April12, 1898.

Application filed March 12, 1898. Serial No. 582,985. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, RICHARD J. MoKEoNE,a citizen of the United States,residing at Sault Ste. Marie, in the county of Chippewa and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and useful High-Explosive Shell, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to high-explosive shells, and particularly to ahigh-explosive shell capable of being fired from any gun with safety andin which the effects of inertia and concussion are fully obviated andovercome.

The object of the invention is to provide a firing-pin carrying adetonator which is exploded simultaneously with the piercing by the saidpin of the shell containing the proj ectile explosive material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shell having a seriesof cells or compartments, each having a small mass of explosive materialwhich is separated by division-plates and surrounded by a vacuumchamberto prevent explosion from the impact due to inertia without affectingthe force of the final explosion.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, Figurelis a central cross-section of the shell. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection of the shell. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section at right anglesto Fig. 2, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a rear View of the outer shellwith breech-piece removed. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached elevation ofthe firing-pin. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a portion of the breech-plate.Fig. 7 is a sectional View of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of theflexible locking-ring; Fig. 9 is a cross-section of Fig. 5, taken at AThe same letter references denote the same parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings.

The head-piece A is secured to the outer shell B by a screw-threadedprojection K from the head-plate B',which is screw-threaded into the endof the said shell B. The 0pposite end of the shell B is closed by asimilar plate 13 and the breech-piece G is secured in this end of theshell andholds the plate B against displacement.

A are soft-metal rings fastened around the end of the shell to take therifling of the gun cases E are inclosed in the shell D'and are separatedby division partitions or plates F.

The shell D is held between rubber cushions G and Gt at each end, saidcushions being secured in place by plates 13 and B The said shell D isprovided at each end with thin flexible conical collars N, which engagethe inner surface of the shell D and hold the shell D in exact alinementwith the cushions, leaving the vacuum space or chamber H between thesaid two shells. The conical shape of the said collars preventsanydirect transverse thrust from the vibration of the outer shellreaching the inner shell, and the said cushions protect the ends of theinner shell. The vacuum-pipe E extends through the plate Bandcommunicates with the chamber H.

The plate B has a central thin portion forming a diaphragm B and thecushionG has a central cavity G ,in which the said diaphragm isoperated, and corrugations G extendfrom the cavityG into the chamber H.7

From thediaphragm 133's suspended a U- shaped hanger J, having a lever Jpivoted thereon and fulcrumed at H to and between projections]; of afulcrum-strip h', secured to the outside of the plate B The oppositeendofthe lever J 2 is connected to a lever O by a link 0. Oneend of saidlever O is se-. cured atg to a post P, projecting from the plate B f Theother end of the lever O is con nected by a link Q to the forkedlever-indicator O, the lever being pivoted to the post P opposite thepost P. The sides of the post P have a graduated scale. When a vacuum isproduced in the shell,-the outside air-pres sure will operate thediaphragm and move said levers so that the forked: ends will indi-- cateupon the graduated scale the degree of exhaustion of the inclosed air inthe chamber H.

The breech-plate B has lugs A by means of which the plate B is operatedto screw it in and out of the shell B.

The firing-pin J has a collar L, a cylindrical IOO portion L and aconical end L provided with notches Z. The pin is inserted in theheadpiece A before the latter is screwed to the screw-threadedprojection K of the plate B. Then the locking-ring or anvil M, which hasan opening K, is sprung open to allow the firing-pin to be pushed downthrough it until the collar L is past the nut or ring M. The latter thencloses upon the pin and holds it in place, leaving detonating passages19 in the nut. The pin is provided with a detonatingring a, adapted toengage the nut M, which acts as an anvil to explode the detonator, suchexplosion being communicated to the dynamite (the point of the pinhaving been driven through the center of the end D through thenut-passages Z) and the pin-notches Z.

The breech-piece O is provided with a small vent V to relieveair-pressure in the space Q, formed between the plate B and thebreechpiece 0, said vent being closed by a metal plug or otherwisebefore firing.

All parts of the shell where not otherwise provided for should be madeof steel or other suitable shell metal. The vacuum-pipe A E may be madeof flexible metal to permit of being closed by pinching or twisting, orany suitable automatic valve may be used to hold the vacuum whenproduced, as hereinafter mentioned.

The method of loading and firing the shell may be described as follows:I first put the several parts of the shell together, as indicated inFig. 2, with the exception of the breech-piece C, and without havingloaded the dynamite-cases. Then by means of an air-pump attached to thevacuum-pipe I produce a vacuum in the space H. When the vacuum-gageindicates a vacuum, the pipe may be closed and the shell set aside for asufficient length of time to allow any possible leak to manifest itself.This is done for the purpose of testing the shell and preparatory toloading. W'hen satisfied that the space H is air-tight, the vacuum-pipemay be again opened and the head-piece, firing-pin, thimble, rubbercushion, and head of inner shell D be removed and the dynamite-casestaken out for loading, the head-plate or forward end of inner shell Dbeing provided with lugs (not shown in drawings, but similar to those inthe breech-plate shown at A in Fig. 4) for screwing the head-plate inplace. When filled with dynamite, the cases are replaced in the innershell, with the division-plates between, and the head-plate of the innershell screwed in place, care being taken to make the joint air-tight.The metal head of the shell, with its firing-pin and other attachments,'is then replaced and a vacuum produced, as before. The breech-piece maybe screwed in place or may be left off until ready to place the shell inthe gun, so that any leakage of air into the vacuum may be observed.

The constituents of dynamite may be carried in an unexplosive form anddynamite manufactured and shells loaded only as needed, such aprecaution being certain to prevent premature explosions.

"When loaded, the shell is placed in a gun, charged as for firing anordinary shell, and may be fired without danger, the vacuum preventingany concussion reaching the dynamite in the inner shell, and the rubbercushions at each end of the shell preventing possible explosion throughimpact from inertia. The locking-ring prevents the firing-pin fromdropping out of the head-piece, and the bottom of the thimble preventsit striking the thin center of the head-plate of the inner shell untilit strikes the target.

WVhen the shell strikes the target, the point of the firing-pin isdriven back through the bottom of the thimble into the dynamite and, thepercussion detonator-ring striking the locking-ring or anvil at the sametime, the explosion is communicated to the dynamite through the notchescut in the point of the firing-pin, thus exploding the full charge ofdynamite.

The same shell without the firing device may be used for the safestorage or transportation of dynamite or other high explosives.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, anddesire to have secured by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a projectile of the character described, of aperforating firingpin, having notches therein, and a detonatorring uponthe pin adapted to be exploded through said notches, said notchesaffording communication with the explosive material of the projectile,as set forth.

2. A high-explosive projectile comprising two casings, one elasticallyheld within the other to form a Vacuum-chamber between them, the innerone of said casings having a series of separated cells containingexplosive material, an anvil having passage Ways therethrough andsecured in the head of the projectile, a firing-pin working through saidhead and through the anvil and having notches or passage-ways therein,and a detonator-ring upon the pin to engage the anvil and explode thematerial in said cells, as set forth.

3. A high-explosive projectile comprising an outer shell or casing, headand breech plates removably secured in the ends of said casing, an innercasing elastically held between the said two plates to form avacuumchamber between the shells, the cells or cases secured in theinner shell and adapted to contain explosive material, a firing-pinhaving a pointed notched end to pierce the end of the inner casing, adetonator-ring secured to the pin, and a flexible nut through which aportion of the pin works, said nut being secured,

in the projectile-head and forming an anvil for the detonator-ring,whereby the latter is exploded, the said nut and the pin-notchesaffording communication with the cells, as set forth.

4. A high-explosive projectile comprising an outer shell, thehead-plate, the breechplate closing the end of the shell and having athin central portion, an inner shell containing explosive material andelastically held between the said two plates, a removable end upon theinner shell having a thin central portion, a movable firing-pin Workin gthrough the head-plate and adapted to break the thin portion of saidend, and means attached to the breech-plate and actuated by pressureupon the thin portion of the breech-plate to indicate the degree ofexhaustion of the inclosed air, as set forth.

5. A firing-pin for high-explosive projectiles comprising a cylindricalbody Working through the projectile-head and having a detonator and apointed notched end to pierce the inclosure containing the projectileexplosive material and communicate the explosion of the detonator tosaid material, as set forth.

6. In an explosive projectile the combination of the outer shell, thehead-plate, the breech-plate having a thin portion forming a diaphragm,an inner shell having an end the central portion of which is thinnerthan the body, a series of cells in the inner shell containing explosivematerial and separated by partitions, cushions engaging the ends of theinner and outer shells, and means upon the breech-plate, and operated bysaid diaphragm to indicate the degree of exhaustion of air from achamber formed by the said two shells, as set forth.

7. The combination of the inner shell containing explosive material, andhaving an end provided with a thin portion, the outer shell, thehead-piece, the head-plate having a screw-threaded extension to whichthe said and one of the inner shell ends and having a central aperture,a firing-pin working through said aperture and adapted to break the thinportion of the inner shell end, a cushion between the other end of theinner shell and the breech-plate, and havinga spacein which thediaphragm is operated, and a series of levers linked together andconnected to the diaphragm to note the degree of exhaustion of air fromthe chamber formed between the said two shells, as set forth.

8. The combination with a projectile having a vacuum-chamber formedbetween the outer and inner shells of the projectile, of a Vacuum-gagecomprising a diaphragm in the projectile breech-plate, a graduatedscale, a series of levers connected together and to the breech-plate andoperated by pressure upon the diaphragm to indicate upon the scale thedegree of air exhausted from the chamber, as set forth.

9. The combination with a high-explosive projectile, of an anvil securedin the projectile-head, a firing-pin having a notched end, and Workingthrough the anvil and through said head, and having a collar restingagainst the anvil, anda detonator upon the pin adapted to be exploded bycontact with the anvil, said explosion being communicated to theprojectile explosive material through said pinnotohes, as set forth.

RICHARD J. MOKEONE.

Witnesses:

FRANK R. WARNER, WILLIAM M. SNELL.

